Russia Banned From 2018 Winter Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has hit Russia with its equivalent of the NCAA's "Death Penalty." The New York Times reports, Russia is banned from competing in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The ban is comprehensive. Russian government officials are barred from attendance. The Russian national anthem won't be played. The country's flag will not be displayed. Individual Russian athletes will be allowed to compete, but not representing their country. Russia won't be included in any medal counts. The penalty was handed down after a systematic national doping program was uncovered. The program was reportedly so broad it involved corrupting the testing program, including the laboratories.